Inert gas blanketed welding rod feed



June 30, 1953 l H, T, HERBST 2,644,070

INERT GAS BLANKETED WELDING ROD FEED Original Filed Sept. 5, 1946 ATTORNEY Patented `une 30, 195.3

INERT GAS BLANKETED WELDING ROD FEED Harry T. Herbst, Belleville, N. J., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation, a corporation of New York Original application September 5, 1946, Serial No.

695,012, now Patent No. 2,496,347, dated February 7, 1950. Divided and this application June 23, 1949, Serial No. 100,872

4 Claims.

This application is a division of my copending parent application Serial No. 695,012, filed September 5, 1946, now U. S. Patent 2,496,347, granted February '7, 1950.

This invention relates to electric Welding, and more particularly to method and apparatus for the electric Welding of non-ferrous metals and their alloys and stainless steel, which are difficult, unsatisfactory, or impossible to Weld by the conventional processes of welding iron and steel, because of contamination of the weld by oxides, nitrides or other combinations of the weld metal With constituents of the air or other atmosphere surrounding the Welding zone.

In Welding such metals, the molten portions of the adjacent metal parts being Welded have been blanketed with an inert g-as, preferably a noble monatomic gas such as helium or argon, and particularly when thicker parts are being Welded, a ller rod has been supplied to the Welding zone. It has been found that when such filler rod is employed, it is dihicult to maintain the quality of the weld as high as that obtained Without the addition of the rod. A considerable part of such difculty is that contamination of the weld puddle may be brought about by oxidation of the filler rod as it approaches the puddle, near enough to receive heat from the Welding operation, but not sufficiently close to be protected from atmospheric oxygen by the inert gas blanketing the Weld puddle.

Furthermore, particularly when thin sheet metal is being Welded with or Without ller rod, the heat of the Welding operation passes through to the underside of the sheet metal being welded and heats it above its oxidation temperature. Thus even if the inert gas blanketing the Weld puddle protects the upper surface of the weld, the lower surface is subject to oxidation or other contamination.

It has also been found that inasmuch as the blanket of inert gas advances along the seam with the Welding operation, the Welded joint is left behind and unblanketed While it is still in heated condition above its oxidation temperature, and therefore subject to contamination before it has time to cool.

it is therefore the main object of the present invention to protect from oxidation or other chemical action the metal subjected to the heat of the Welding operation which is not protected by the inert gas which protects the weld puddle.

While increased protection may be provided by considerably increasing the oW of gas blanketing the Weld puddle, resulting in suicient 2 spread of gas to envelop the filler rod and the Welded joint far enough back to prevent atmospheric oxidation, this expedient results in a considerable Wastage of inert gas.

More particular objects are therefore to confine a stream of inert gas to surround the filler rod on its way to the welding operation, to conline a stream of inert gas to blanket the welded joint after the arc has passed but before the weld puddle has cooled below its oxidation temperature, and to provide a backing of inert gas to protect the underside of the metal being welded against atmospheric contamination.

With regard to the filler rod, instead of or supplemental to a stream of inert gas surrounding the same, contamination of the ller rod may be avoided by preventing the filler rod from reaching its oxidation temperature before it reaches the Welding zone, and it is therefore another object to subject the ller rod to a cooling operation before it reaches the welding zone.

Other objects are to provide a supplemental stream of inert gas moving with the arc enveloping stream, to provide a gas blanketed filler rod, to provide a cooling jacket through Which the nller rod is fed, to maintain constant arc length, to adjust the speed of the rod feed and the Welding operation, and to adjust the position or direction of the rod feed as to angle with respect to the Work surface, height above the Work, and lateral disposition with respect to the line of Weld.

According to the present invention, electric Welding current is supplied to a Welding Zone of ,the rnetal parts to be Welded. filler rod is fed to the welding zone, and the ller rod is blanketed with inert gas before it reaches the welding zone. Preferably an arc is maintained between a tungsten, molybdenum, or other refractory .metal electrode and the adjacent metal parts to be Welded, an annular stream of inert gas is passed along the electrode surrounding the arc to blanket the Weld puddle, and a stream of inert gas is confined and directed to blanket the heated metal outside of the arc Weld puddle blanket.

In the preferred embodiment, the filler rod is blanketed with inert gas before it reaches the welding zone by feeding the filler rod through a tube, which maintains an annular stream of inert gas surrounding the rod being fed. The welding current is supplied to a gas blanketed arc Welding torch mounted on a carriage by which it is propelled at constant but normally adjustable speed. The filler rod is fed by a feeding mecha--' nism driven by a motor having a governor adjustable to maintain a constant selected speed. Contiguity oi the rod and Work at the edge of the puddle is accomplished by a guide nozzle. The angle of the filler rod with the workpiece is determined by adjusting the position of the tube, and may be from il to 180 degrees, which includes both backhand and 4forehand feeding or the liller rod. An angle of from l5 to 30 degrees is pre ferred in some instances, but with for example stainless steel, from 3i) to Li0 degr es Works better than the shallower angles, up to 6l) degrees being feasible. The tube is pivoted on a vertical axis about which it is laterally adjustable to align it with the line of Weld, and vertical adjustment is obtained by a manually operable raising and lowering means. Constant arc length is provided by a plate rider Wheel, which is adjustable for height to select the arc length.

In the drawing, the single figure is a side eleu vation of apparatus according to, and for carrying out the .method ol', the present invention.

In the preferred embodiment shown, the electric welding current is supplied to the r-.felliirig` edges of the worlipieces W to be Weldare composed of the class of metals d llcult to Weld, comprising nonmrerrous metals and their alloys and stainless steel, particularly magnesium and aluminum. Inert gas, such as helium or argon, is supplied by a conduit G through a nozzle N which directs the inert gas to blanket the weide ing zone or puddle P.

'Preferably the welding current passes between the work W and a tungsten, molybdenum or other suitable electrode centered in the nozzle N and lorins an arc A, which melts adjacent edges of the work W and forms the puddle P; the elecm trode arc A and puddle l being protected by the inert issuing from the nozzle ISI' from contamination the surrounding atmosphere. Filler rod F supplied to the puddle P, the filler rod ordinarily being composed of the saine metal as the workpieces W being welded, Whether nonferrous metals or their alloys or stainless steel.

Ihe nozzle N and electrode are preferably carried by torch T, which may be oi convenu tional construction, and liller rod is supplied through a tube R, which also receives inert gas from a conduit I, and projects an annular stream o1' inert gas along the filler rod F to protect saine irorn contamination on its way to the weld puddle P and also to shield the forward part oi the from the radiant heat oi the are and thereby protect it from overheating. The rlow of inert gas throughv the nozzle N of the coni/enM tional torch T is normally about i2 litres ol argon per minute. To protect the filler rod E' by merely increasing 'this how would require about 2i) litresI of argon per minute. Instead, the supplemental flow' through the tube R is only about 'l litres per minute. The from the tube R in addition to protecting the rod F, combines with the gas from the nozzle N to help blanliet the welding zone, so that less than the volume of otherwise rem quired need be discharged from the nozzle N.

The streams of gas from the tube R and nozzle lt* may be sufficient to protect the welded joint behind the puddle P, but il' not a supplemental nozzle S may be provided which receives inert gas from a conduit L. The nozzle S projects a stream of inert gas onto the line or Weld in tandem relation following the main stream from the main nozzle N, to blanket the Welded joint after the are has passed on.

When it is desired to protect the underside of the work W, an inert gas backing blanket B is provided by conning inert gas from a conduit K to cover the underside of the Work. The conduits I, L, and K preferably receive the same inert gas from the same source.

The torch T is carried by a plate rider bracket D having a roller C to engage the work whereby constant arc length is maintained. The tube R is also mounted on the bracket D as part of the rod feeding mechanism H which is pivoted a unit about a shaft J to advance or retract the tube and its rod with respect to the arc A and Weld puddle P. The tube R is sWiveled with reu spect to the feeding mechanism H for lateral movement to center it with respect to the line of Weld.

rhe Welding mechanism is propelled along the joint to be Welded by a carriage lil Which may be, for example, the self-propelled carriage or a portable oXy-acetylene cutting machine. The oarA riage has Wheels I2 rolling on tracks i3 and carries a transverse shalt lil ri 1|diy mounted thereon. A cross slide l5 is mounted on the shalt i4 and is adjustable Itherealong by a handwheel it turning a gear meshing with a raclr il on the shaft irl. The cross slide i5 has trunnion 2t which forms the pivot lor the plate rider bracket D.

The welding mechanism is supported on the plate rider D by means of a frame plate l, which is carried by a stub shaft 22 adjustably secured in a clamp 23 on the plate rider bracket. The frame plate 2l has an upwardly extending arm 2d which carries the stub shaft J for supporting the rod feeding mechanism H. The frame plate also has a depending arm vv". ich supports the torch T. The torch T is preferably of the type disclosed in my Patent No. 2,458,807.

Adjustably mounted on the arin 25 is a torch holder which is clamped in position by a bolt 1r The torch T is mounted in the torch holder 2li, handwheel 23 turns a gear meshing with a rack 29 on the torch, to raise and lower the same. The electrode may be advanced by turning a knob 3] at the top of the torch T.

traine Si is pivoted on the stub shaft J to support the feeding mechanism il. Rigidly sem cured to the frame 32 and pivoted on the shaft is a worin wheel 33 meshing with a worm Wheel ttl journaled on the plate rider extension 24, and adjustable by a handwheel 35.

'lhe feeding mechanism H comprises a motor 36, having an eddy current governor 31 manually adjustable to control the rate of rod feed, which drives one of a pair of feed rolls 38, one of which is movable toward the other by a handle 39, to form a driving clutch.

The feed mechanism H advances the rod F through the guide tube R, which is swiveled at 40 to the casing of the drive mechanism. A handle 42 is movable to turn the guide tube R about the swivel 40, effecting a lateral movement to center the rod F on the line of Weld.

The guide tube P., terminates in a guide nozzle 45 for directing the rod F, and directing an annular stream of inert gas along the filler rod.

For cooling the filler rod below its oxidation temperature, a cooling jacket 46 is provided on the guide nozzle d5, and maintains an annular stream of cooling medium surrounding the filler rod F'. Cooling medium such as Water is supplied by a conduit 4l, and the heated medium is discharged through a conduit 48.

The supplemental nozzle S` for projecting inert 5 gas onto the welded joint after the arc has passed on, comprises an elongated or slotted nozzle aligned with the line of weld, and carried by a clamp 49 secured to the torch T.

The inert gas blanket B for protecting the underside of the work W is conned by a pan or trough 50 which extends longitudinally under the line of weld, and may be movable with the torch T relative to the workpieces W.

I claim: l

1. Method of inert gas blanketed arc welding metals which comprises maintaining an electric are between the tip of an electrode and a welding zone of the metal to be welded, passing an annular stream of gas containing essentially inert noble monatomic gas along and concentric with the electrode to blanket the arc and molten portions of said metal during the Welding operation, advancing said welding zone and blanket along a line of Weld, and advancing a separate stream of gas containing essentially inert noble monatomic gas apart from but in tandem with said first mentioned stream on the same side of the metal being welded and distributed along the line of weld to blanket the welded joint following behind said welding zone.

2. Apparatus for inert gas blanketed arc welding metals which comprises means for maintaining an electric arc between the tip of an electrode and a welding zone of the metal to be welded, means for passing an annular stream of gas containing essentially inert noble monatomic gas along and concentric with the electrode to 4 blanket the arc and molten portions of said metal during the welding operation, means for advancing said welding zone and blanket along a line of weld, and means for advancing a separate stream of gas containing essentially said inert noble monatomic gas apart from but in tandem with said main stream on the same side of the metal being welded and distributed along the line of weld to blanket the welded joint following behind said welding zone.

3. In apparatus for inert gas shielded arc welding in which the arc forms a Weld puddle, the weld puddle is blanketed by an inert gas projected from a nozzle, and a filler rod is fed to the Weld puddle, the improvement which comprises an elongated nozzle aligned with the line of weld, and rigidly secured to said first mentioned nozzle in tandem relation therewith, for projecting inert gas onto the welded joint after the are has passed on.

4. In apparatus for inert gas shielded are Welding of difficult to weld metals in which the arc forms a weld puddle, the Weld puddle is shielded by a stream containing essentially noble monatomic gas, and a rod of the same metal as that being welded is fed through a guide tube by a rod feeding mechanism, the improvement which comprises said guide tube also constituting a gas tube, a gas directing nozzle at the end of said guide tube toward the arc for directing gas from said tube to shield the weld puddle, a gas inlet for said guide tube spaced away from said nozzle for supplying gas to fill said tube and flow along the moving rod on its way to said nozzle, and a cooling jacket mounted on said gas and rod guide tube adjacent the gasv and rod directing nozzle at the gas and rod discharge end thereof.

HARRY T. HERBST.

References Cited in the i'lle of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,091,308 Catlett Aug. 31, 1937 2,274,631 Meredith Feb. 24, 1942 2,360,160 Pickhaver Oct. 10, 1944 2,411,465 Richardson Nov. 19, 1946 2,496,347 Herbst Feb. 7, 1950 2,571,684 Craven Oct. 16, 1951 v FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 496,464 Germany May 21, 1930 OTHER REFERENCES Pilia: The Welding Engineer, vol. 37, No. 4, April 1952, p. 54, He Dig. 

